Wacol vs Richlands

Richlands is the younger of the two, with a median age of 28 against 35 in Wacol. In Wacol, about half of households rent and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Richlands, most households rent. On these figures, Richlands tends to suit renters and families with children.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

Wacol

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools inside the suburb (4 vs 0)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (82% vs 28%)
  • has more parks and reserves (7 vs 3)
  • But Richlands has more childcare (6 vs 2)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Wacol

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper units ($650,000 vs $825,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Wacol has cheaper rent ($320/wk vs $370/wk)
  • Richlands has a bigger rental market to choose from (73% vs 47%)

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Richlands

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (62/100 vs 52/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Richlands

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (72% vs 18%)
  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (62/100 vs 52/100)

Weighs smaller dwellings, who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Richlands

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (56.2% vs 13.1%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Wacol and Richlands drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Wacol Richlands
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Wacol Richlands
Walkability 52 / 62
Wacol — Walkability: 52/100 Richlands — Walkability: 62/100
Safety 8 / 12
Wacol — Safety: 8/100 Richlands — Safety: 12/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Wacol — Low fire risk: 100/100 Richlands — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Richlands has more residents (5,621 vs 4,253); Wacol skews older (35 vs 28).

Wacol Richlands
Population 4,253 5,621
+32% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +13.1% +56.2%
Median age 35 28
Median household income $71,708/yr $88,868/yr
+24% vs other
Median weekly rent $320/wk $370/wk
+16% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Wacol Richlands
0-4 0.8% / 10.2%
Wacol — 0-4: 0.8% Richlands — 0-4: 10.2%
5-14 2.0% / 12.4%
Wacol — 5-14: 2.0% Richlands — 5-14: 12.4%
15-19 4.6% / 4.8%
Wacol — 15-19: 4.6% Richlands — 15-19: 4.8%
20-24 9.5% / 11.4%
Wacol — 20-24: 9.5% Richlands — 20-24: 11.4%
25-34 31.2% / 26.7%
Wacol — 25-34: 31.2% Richlands — 25-34: 26.7%
35-44 27.1% / 14.9%
Wacol — 35-44: 27.1% Richlands — 35-44: 14.9%
45-54 13.7% / 8.9%
Wacol — 45-54: 13.7% Richlands — 45-54: 8.9%
55-64 6.4% / 6.2%
Wacol — 55-64: 6.4% Richlands — 55-64: 6.2%
65-74 3.0% / 2.5%
Wacol — 65-74: 3.0% Richlands — 65-74: 2.5%
75-84 1.5% / 1.3%
Wacol — 75-84: 1.5% Richlands — 75-84: 1.3%
85+ 0.4% / 0.4%
Wacol — 85+: 0.4% Richlands — 85+: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (31.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Wacol 27.7% couple families
Wacol — Couple Families: 27.7% Wacol — Lone Person: 31.6% Wacol — One Parent Families: 26.8% Wacol — Group Household: 10.8% Wacol — Other Families: 3.0%
Richlands 40.0% couple families
Richlands — Couple Families: 40.0% Richlands — Lone Person: 25.1% Richlands — One Parent Families: 21.5% Richlands — Group Household: 10.1% Richlands — Other Families: 3.3%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Wacol 47.1% renting
Wacol — Owned Outright: 29.3% Wacol — Mortgage: 23.6% Wacol — Renting: 47.1%
Richlands 73.0% renting
Richlands — Owned Outright: 6.5% Richlands — Mortgage: 20.4% Richlands — Renting: 73.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Wacol Richlands
Bachelor Degree 7.9% / 14.2%
Wacol — Bachelor Degree: 7.9% Richlands — Bachelor Degree: 14.2%
Certificate III & IV 8.2% / 11.7%
Wacol — Certificate III & IV: 8.2% Richlands — Certificate III & IV: 11.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 1.0% / 8.3%
Wacol — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 1.0% Richlands — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.3%
Postgraduate Degree 0.4% / 5.2%
Wacol — Postgraduate Degree: 0.4% Richlands — Postgraduate Degree: 5.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.2% / 1.3%
Wacol — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.2% Richlands — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (14.2%).

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Wacol Richlands
New Zealand 5.1% / 6.0%
Wacol — New Zealand: 5.1% Richlands — New Zealand: 6.0%
India 0.4% / 6.6%
Wacol — India: 0.4% Richlands — India: 6.6%
Vietnam 0.9% / 6.0%
Wacol — Vietnam: 0.9% Richlands — Vietnam: 6.0%
Philippines 0.8% / 2.9%
Wacol — Philippines: 0.8% Richlands — Philippines: 2.9%
England 1.9% / 1.0%
Wacol — England: 1.9% Richlands — England: 1.0%
Fiji 0.4% / 1.2%
Wacol — Fiji: 0.4% Richlands — Fiji: 1.2%
Sri Lanka — / 1.4%
Wacol — Sri Lanka: not among its largest Richlands — Sri Lanka: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Wacol 82.4% houses
Wacol — Houses: 82.4% Wacol — Townhouses: 17.0% Wacol — Flats / Apartments: 0.7%
Richlands 27.9% houses
Richlands — Houses: 27.9% Richlands — Townhouses: 71.4% Richlands — Flats / Apartments: 0.7%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Wacol Richlands
Median house price $847,500 $891,000
Median unit price $650,000 $825,000
Median land price $1,615,625 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 32 days
from 3 sales
 20 days
from 17 sales

Development activity

Wacol Richlands
New dwellings approved 9,382
across Brisbane
same for both
Approvals change year on year +9%
same for both

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Wacol Richlands
Houses — 4.3%
$700/wk on $849K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Wacol Richlands
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 41% of QLD Higher than 62% of QLD
Schools Higher than 44% of QLD —
Walkability Higher than 88% of QLD Higher than 90% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 87% of QLD Higher than 83% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 96% of QLD Higher than 94% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 68% of QLD

Liveability

Richlands scores higher overall (49 vs 32); Richlands is more walkable (62 vs 52).

Wacol Richlands
Grade D C
Score 32/100 49/100
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10

Risk profile

Wacol Richlands
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
92/100
 High
88/100
Flood —
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 22
within 5 km
 24
within 5 km

Schools

Wacol Richlands
Inside the suburb 4 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in Wacol

  • Carole Park State School Government · Primary below peers
  • Brisbane Youth Education and Training Centre Government · Combined · Special school
  • Wacol Youth Remand Education Support Hub Government · Combined · Special school
  • West Moreton Education and Training Centre Government · Combined · Special school

Schools in Richlands

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Amenities in the suburb

Wacol Richlands
Supermarkets 0 2
Cafes & restaurants 0 5
Parks & reserves 7 3
Childcare 2 6
GPs 0 2
Pharmacies 0 2
Hospitals 1 0
Fuel stations 3 4
Waterways 8 10

Mobility

Wacol Richlands
Walkability score 52/100 62/100
Distance to Brisbane 21 km 21.3 km
+1% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 25 min 26 min
Public transport score 81/100
Rail · Bus
 92/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 44.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 36.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 1.2%
postcode 4076
 1.1%
postcode 4077
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 68
postcode 4076
 49
postcode 4077

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Wacol Richlands
Car (driver) 65.7% / 67.6%
Wacol — Car (driver): 65.7% Richlands — Car (driver): 67.6%
Worked from Home 12.6% / 13.6%
Wacol — Worked from Home: 12.6% Richlands — Worked from Home: 13.6%
Train 10.1% / 8.5%
Wacol — Train: 10.1% Richlands — Train: 8.5%
Car (passenger) 7.2% / 7.2%
Wacol — Car (passenger): 7.2% Richlands — Car (passenger): 7.2%
Walked Only 3.2% / 1.2%
Wacol — Walked Only: 3.2% Richlands — Walked Only: 1.2%
Bus — / 1.6%
Wacol — Bus: not among its largest Richlands — Bus: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (67.6%).

Setting

Wacol Richlands
Elevation 28 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 33 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 26.3 km 24.1 km

NBN connectivity

Wacol Richlands
Connectivity score 93/100 86/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 85%
993 premises
 75%
2,554 premises

Climate

Wacol Richlands
Annual rainfall 1,032 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 30.5°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 8.9°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Wacol Richlands
PM2.5 6.5 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 17.3 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.99 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Wacol Richlands
Average residential rate $1,519/yr
same for both
Council Brisbane
same for both

Federal electorate

Wacol Richlands
Division Oxley
same for both
Member Milton Dick
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Wacol Richlands
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Wacol

Middle-Ring Multicultural Trains Transport Hub

Richlands

Easy Commute Family Middle-Ring Multicultural River Townhouses Trains Transport Hub Young Families

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Wacol

Wacol vs Forest Lake Wacol vs Goodna Wacol vs Moggill Wacol vs Riverhills Wacol vs Darra Wacol vs Ellen Grove

Other comparisons with Richlands

Richlands vs Forest Lake Richlands vs Inala Richlands vs Oxley Richlands vs Darra
Full data on Wacol Full data on Richlands
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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